The Elmwood zoo was a peculiar place.

The Elmwood zoo was a peculiar place. The zoo was a small area packed with cages and creatures that you couldn’t quite find anywhere else and that is why Noritz Finkle loved it.

Noritz loved to check out every nook and cranny of his new workplace. He would sneak back in at night and doodle as he hung from a tree watching the gorillatang. Lola the gorilla and Mitch the orangutan had a love affair in the old primate safari excursion while horrified preschoolers drove by.

The next day at work, Noritz was carrying a pail of bird feces and top clean to the waste control center. He mistakenly took a right turn when he should have made a left. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a large wooden jungle gym reaching far into the sky. There were slides and ladders running in and out from wooden house to house.

He dropped the pail to his feet and the white crud splattered and settled on the pavement. He walked slowly over to the ladder.

“Don’t climb too high on the jungle gym.” A man said from behind. He was a small, frail man with a few hairs sprouting from his scalp.

” Why?” Noritz said as he stepped up another step and turned his head back to face the man.

“I hear its upper reaches are inhabited by a lost race of wild children with monkey feet and tails.” The man said unwaveringly.

“How is that possible? I never heard of them. They aren’t on the feeding schedule.” Noritz replied as he took another step.

“They subsist on a diet of acorns, squirrels, and safety patrol crossing guards.” The man said with the utmost confidence.

“Acorns? Yuk.” Noritz said. “Well, I am none of those things anyway, so I am going to have a go of it.” Noritz began to take the steps in leaps of two until he disappeared into the large horror house of chutes and ladders.